Mop



March 22, 1969 M. sALMQN 2,929,087

MOP

Filed Feb. 25, 1957 The present invention relates to mops for floors and like surfaces, and particularly to mops as are designed for use in households, in offices, or in any other location.

Floor mops have long been known items of cleaning equipment. Mops generally in use are constructed of a relatively long handle of wood, metal, or other stil and non-flexible material, and possess a mop head of cloth construction permanently attached to the lower end of the handle. I

The above described conventional mop construction has a number of disadvantages. It is often diflicult to manipulate and move such mop underneath the furniture, without the user kneeling down on the floor. Also, and especially in close quarters, it is rather diiicult for the user to iind a comfortable position for holding the mop while in operation. Finally, proper cleaning of the mop head is diiicult, and mayrequire complicated cleaning apparatus.

lt is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide means contributing to a very efficient and inexpensive mop structure which aords an unusual degree of ilexibility during use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means facilitating the manufacture of a handle for oor mops and other appliances used for cleaning purposes so constructed as to permit easy bending of the handle by the user, while the mop or like head is lirmly supported, for instance, on a iloor or like surface.

Yet another object ofthe present invention is to provide a iloor mop having a mop head support constructed of a plurality of sections mounted for pivotal movement with respect to one another.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means ensuring great movability of the head of the appliance which is readily removable from its support for replacement or other purposes.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a oor mop which combines exibility of operation with simplicity and economy of construction.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a mop constructed in accordance with the invention and shown in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the mop of Fig. l, the mop head being removed and the handle being shown in section and partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the mop head;

Fig. 3a shows diagrammatically a modified mop body;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along lines 4 4 of Fig. l, the mop handle being shown in bent position and partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the mop handle the section being taken along lines 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating a modiication of the structure of the lower handle portion, the outer handle portion being broken away; and

t5 Palit Fig. 7 shows still a further-modification of the ltiexible, butvrelatively rigidihandle portion similar tov `that shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawing, there is :shown in Fig. l a cleaning appliance 10 made in accordance with the invention. This appliance in the form of a mop device ,has a relatively long and stili handle part i1 made ,from wood or llight `metal andv av relatively shorter lower handle'zpart 12having .a 'core'made y0f resilient material, such as adjacentsteel wiresV 12a.conv nected together at theirupper and lower. ends as by welding and surrounded by a tube 12b vof resilientmaterialfsuch las plastic, plasticzcotnposition, orl rubber.

The lowerends of steel wires 12e are welded to across pinlB, the Afreeends 16 and. 17 of which are inserted iu a support consisting of plate-.shaped blocks or sections 14 and 15 which can .pivot about Athe -pin ends 16 and 1 7. ,Blocksal and 15, are interconnected with eachother by `means of a rubber band 20 xed `to `one face of the blocks-14 and 15 at 18 and 19, respectively. Thus, lthe rubber tube` 12b rests on the median portion of rubber band 29 when the ,handle is ilexed during .use (Fig. 4). Over this kholder lframell, 15 is -slid a pocket-shaped body 21 having a central kslot 26 terminating lin a` rounded end 27 (Fig. 3).

Thefupper surface 22 of ,saidpocket-shaped body 2,1fis provided with complementary snap buttons24, 25, the latter beingposi-tioned on a ,ilap 23 of pocket 21. The under-face of pocket 21is provided with mop forming loops Sti, whereas the surface 22 of the pocket is devoid of `such loopsand may be usedin: conjunction or successively withv the loopedmopportion provided on the under-face of pocket 21.

Pocket 21 is so shaped that, as can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, it can be placed over the holder blocks 14, l5, whereafter the flap 23 is closed so that the cleaning appliance can be employed with various mop structures if desired.

Fig. 4 shows the appliance 10 in position of use, whereby the lower relatively yieldable portion 12 may be bent relative to the rigid handle portion 11 and the cross pin 13 carrying the wooden blocks 14, 15 and the mop body 21 as seen. Thus, whether the mop body 21 is applied to a surface with straightened handle portion 12 or with the latter in ilexed condition, in which latter case handle portion 12 abuts the median portion of rubber band 20, the mop always remains in its substantially fully at operational condition and without changing its position. As is well apparent from Fig. 2, handle 11 may be readily withdrawn from the lower portion 12 and the entire appliance may be disassembled at will.

The springy and relatively iiexible portion 12a may be replaced by a steel cable-shaped portion having the spirally shaped steel wires 32 fitted at 34 into a suitable recess of upper rigid handle portion 31. 33 is the cross pin to which the lower end of lower handle portion 35 is welded.

Fig. 7 s lows a yieldable and flexible lower handle portion et? made from rattan or like pliable and iiexible natural plant material having the sections 37 with the upper end 3S releasingly inserted within the lower sleeve 36 of an upper rigid handle portion. 39 is the cross pin Y which is secured to the lower end of the flexible but rigid lower handle portion 40 in any appropriate manner (not shown).

it is well understood that pin 13 may be inserted, instead as indicated in Fig. 2, in bores 16a, 17a at adjacent ends oi blocks 14 and 15, whereby substantially the entire length of blocks 14 and 15 may be employed for supporting the mop or like cleaning body during mopping operation. i

A further interconnecting band of rubber or like mav terial (not shown) may be attached, if desired, adjacent said ends of said blocks in the proximity of said bores 16a, 17a in which pin 13 then pivots.

AIn such case the mop body 21 may carryonly mop forming 'loops 30 and the iriop body 21 maybe slid over theV forwardends-ot` said blocks 14and 15 for position therealong and for closure at the aforesaid adjacent block ends near bores 16a, 17a. In thiscase, the surfaces of the mop may be selectivelyY employed for cleaning operations (Fig. 3a).A Q o Itis,- of course, understood, that the pocket-shaped body 21 as shown in Fig. 3 may carry'on surface 22 also mopfforming loops, if desired. Thus, interchangeability ofthe mo'p body engaged by the holding blocks or sections' 14, 15 and versatility of use of the mop -body will be greatlyv facilitated, the mop body being thus employable simultaneously on opposite surfaces to be cleaned or treated If desired, instead of two separate blocks 14, 15 a singlesnpport block having spaced tubular sleeves or eyes at one end thereof may be employed, in which the ends 16, 17 of pin 13 may be readily inserted.

It can thus be seen, that there has been provided according to the invention a very efcacious household or like appliance for cleaning or treating surfaces which are sometimes only accessible under great difficulties, said appliance being characterized by a handle, and a mop head support for cleaning means attached to one end of said handle, at least a portion of said handle adjacent said support for said cleaning means being constructed of relatively rigid and exible material, whereby said handle may be bent relative to a surface to which said cleaning means is applied while the latter remains unchanged in its applied position when bending or releasing said handle portion.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modications be embraced by the annexed claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A mop structure comprising a support, a mop body connected to said support, a core of flexible elongated steel wires connected together at their opposite ends, a cross pin having a medianpart fixed to and extending transversely to said core at one of saidends, a rigid handle secured to and aligned with said core at the opposite end and forming a prolongation of said core, a tubular-'resilient coveringsurrounding said core and terminating short of said cross pin, said mop body being movable with said support relative to said core of steel wires so that said core may be moved relative to-Saidrrigid handle during use of said mop, said support including two spaced apart sections pivotally mounted on said cross pin at opposite ends thereof, and a rubber band extending across the space between said two sections and terminally secured to said sections, said core with said surrounding tubular covering being in abutting relation with the median portion of said rubber band when the handle is flexed in position of use, said median portion being disposed between said two sections.

Retex'enees Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,307,215 Severus June 17, 1919 2,269,809 Chandler Jan. 13, 1942 2,796,617 Bradshaw J une 25, 1957 FOREIGN y PATENTS 448,239 Great Britain Iune 3, 1936 272,533 Switzerland June 1, 1951 1,098,202 France Mar. 2, 1955 

